Mack Anthem: A true linehauler at last

It’s an application that Mack has never quite cracked with any of its previous offerings – the true linehaul prime mover where the driver can alight from the seat, stand up straight and walk unhindered across a flat floor into a capacious ‘bedroom’.

Yes, it’s an Anthem that Mack aficionados should be singing the praises of for many years to come.

It’s not due to hit local roads for a couple more years and according to Mack Trucks Australia Vice President, Dean Bestwick, there’s a very sound reason for this.

“While the Anthem has already been released in North America, for us it’s all about validating the product here under our unique Australian conditions,” said Bestwick. “If we don’t get that right it would be a massive impost on our business. I’ve been through issues like that over the last decade and I’m not going to go through that again.

“Critical to this testing process is the fact that we have units involved in accelerated testing in the US that we built here in our own factory.

“We’re looking forward to the product being released in the guise that it needs to be for Australian operators.”

The sole engine on offer is the 13-litre MP8 coupled with the smooth-shifting mDRIVE Automated Manual Transmission.

“The big news about the Anthem is that it will finally give us the fully integrated sleeper we need for this market,” said Bestwick.

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